Chapter: 231
Awakened by sunlight filtering through the curtains, Sylvia blinked her eyes open to find herself staring at the familiar ceiling of her room.
Still slightly dazed, she muttered inwardly, “Wait, did I come home and fall asleep yesterday?”
Not having drunk any alcohol, she was puzzled by the lack of memory regarding her return home and slowly sat up.
Grabbing her throbbing head, she winced as she struggled to recall what had happened yesterday.
Surely, yesterday, she had been called to a meeting with the others…
The meeting, what happened again?
“…Take care, Sylvia.”
“…Huh!”
Suddenly, remembering the moments right before being put under a sleep spell caused Sylvia to jump up and scream.
This was no time to be dozing off!
She had to hurry and stop the First Elder from going after Scarlet…!
With that thought, as she tried to leap out of bed and dash out into the hallway, she was interrupted.
“Miss Sylvia, you’re awake.”
Just as she was about to rush out, she felt a presence and turned to see Sebastian greeting her with a morning bow at the door.
“Sebastian! Where is the First Elder, my grandfather?”
“…Miss.”
Hearing his reply made Sylvia realize the grim truth.
“The Hunting Party has already left.”
The stark realization hit her—she was too late.
“…! Miss!”
But how could she accept such a fact so calmly?
Sebastian’s voice echoed behind her, but Sylvia burst out of the room and sprinted toward the mansion entrance.
Even if the Hunting Party had already left, she still hoped that if she followed them, she could at least prevent the worst-case scenario.
However…
“Ugh…?!”
The moment she stepped outside the mansion, she felt a sudden tightness around her ankle.
Stumbling onto the ground, Sylvia looked down at her ankle in shock.
The anklet that had been fastened around it was now shining brightly.
“…It’s a Magical Tool designed to prevent prisoner escapes by restricting movement range. If you try to leave the mansion, it’ll weigh you down like shackles.”
Sebastian’s voice reached Sylvia as she stared at the anklet in disbelief.
“It was prepared by the First Elder before he left, just in case you attempted something reckless.”
For some reason, Sebastian looked at the guards stationed by the mansion with a bittersweet expression.
“It seems you’ll have to stay quietly inside the mansion until things settle down.”
With her last glimmer of hope snatched away, Sylvia’s face twisted in despair.
*
“…Miss, I brought you some food.”
Overwhelmed by the despair of failing to prevent the worst situation, Sylvia lay sprawled on her bed, barely responding to Sebastian’s voice as he brought in the meal.
The dishes on the tray Sebastian wheeled in looked mouthwatering enough to stir her empty stomach since nothing had gone in since yesterday’s lunch.
Yet, oddly, she felt no desire to eat, slowly shaking her head in refusal.
“…Take it away. I have no appetite.”
“…You need to eat. No matter how emotionally challenging things are, you have to take care of your body.”
Despite her refusal, Sebastian insisted with a stubborn tone, prompting Sylvia to let out a chuckle.
Did she even deserve to eat?
Scarlet, the First Elder…
What about her?
Was she worthy of a meal after putting them in this irreversible situation?
Filled with self-reproach, Sylvia nearly voiced her thoughts but found herself silenced by Sebastian’s worried expression.
Seeing him gazing at her filled with concern reminded her of the etiquette lesson she had learned, where they taught her not to hurt others simply because she was feeling sad or frustrated.
If she said such things, Sebastian would likely be twice as upset.
She didn’t want to see that expression on his face, so she bit back her words and replied in a small voice.
“…Alright, just leave it there. I’ll eat if I feel like it.”
Sebastian, after a long moment of worry, nodded and left the room.
Once he had exited, Sylvia slowly stood up and walked to the window.
Peeking through the curtains, she caught sight of the guards standing vigil around the mansion.
The funny thing was they weren’t watching outside the mansion; they were looking inwards, guarding the approach to the mansion.
Sylvia thought to herself how thoroughly prepared the First Elder was.
Not only did he put shackles on her, but he also stationed guards in case she might follow behind.
She couldn’t help but smirk faintly at her own predicament of being confined.
While reluctantly setting the meal aside on the desk, she murmured in resignation.
“…Well, considering how things are now, there’s no way around it. I guess I have to give up. It was reckless to think I could just follow the Hunting Party from the start.”
It was impossible from the outset.
Giving up was the only logical course of action.
There was no way to know Scarlet’s exact location, unlike with the Hunting Party which had a Magical Tool.
Attempting to chase after either was just absurd.
Since she couldn’t do the impossible, it wasn’t worth feeling aggrieved about it.
“…Let’s accept it and then eat.”
Saying this to herself, Sylvia popped a piece of food into her mouth.
Yes, it would be easier if she just accepted it and gave in.
It only needed acceptance.
If only she could just let it go like that…
Yet…
“Sniff… Huh…”
With a drop, tears spilled from her eyes into the tray.
She understood that acceptance was the right thing to do.
Her mind grasped it completely.
But, no matter what, she simply couldn’t do it.
“…Sebastian will be worried.”
Because of her tears and the sobbing that followed, she found herself unable to eat much of the meal.
*
“…I’m here.”
After skipping a meal, Sylvia made her way to Yoon Si-woo’s room in the mansion.
She watched as he lay lifelessly on the bed for a moment before gently grasping his hand, channeling energy into him.
Glistening starlight flowed from her hand into Yoon Si-woo, but there was no sign of movement, not even a flicker of change.
“Will you wake up…?”
What were the chances he would?
If judged purely by probability, it was quite bleak.
Yet, Sylvia tried to speak to Yoon Si-woo in a cheerful tone.
“…Don’t worry. Even in desperate situations, I’ll do my best for you. You should be grateful.”
Just like those words.
Even if it was just 1% or 0.1%.
If there was even a slight chance, a glimmer of hope, Sylvia could give it her all.
That’s why it hurt so much now.
“…You know, Yoon Si-woo, what am I supposed to do?”
Suddenly, Sylvia asked Yoon Si-woo.
Of course, there was no response from the motionless Yoon Si-woo.
“…I know I have to accept the situation, but I can’t. I don’t even know what I want. What should I do…?”
She knew she wouldn’t get an answer, but it felt like she would go mad if she didn’t say something.
“If only there was even a glimmer of hope…”
If she could see even a tiny bit of hope, she would do anything to grasp it.
There was absolutely no insight or hope regarding Scarlet, so with a voice trembling as if she might burst into tears, Sylvia lamented.
In despair, like a plea.
And then…
“…Ah.”
At that moment, a faint glow emanated from Yoon Si-woo’s body.
Could it be a sign that he was waking up?
Sylvia quickly looked over him in alarm, but nothing about his condition had changed.
However, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had heard her voice in that moment.
Along with the faint light, a pristine white dagger appeared above Yoon Si-woo’s body.
This was the dagger he had used when he found Scarlet during her kidnapping.
And it seemed to harbor the ability Sylvia desperately needed right now.
Of course, just having the dagger alone wouldn’t magically improve the situation.
There was still the anklet holding her back and the guards ensuring she couldn’t escape.
But the possibility…
A sliver of possibility had emerged.
Sylvia, momentarily startled by the unexpected situation, asked Yoon Si-woo.
“…What should I do?”
There was no special answer to her question.
The dagger simply glinted in the air, as if to say it would lend its power if desired.
But that alone was enough as an answer to her question.
The answer was already within her heart.
“…Thank you for lending me your strength. I’ll be back.”
Determined to seize hope for herself, Sylvia gripped the dagger tightly.
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